Appetizers
Appetizers are like the opening act at a concert—they’re small bites that get you excited for the main event! They’re meant to hold you over while you wait for the main meal, but they can also be a fun way to try different flavors.
Balsamic Bruchetta
Ingredients
- 3–4 cups cherry tomatoes
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced (or combination of parsley, oregano or other fresh herbs you like)
Instructions
- Slice tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. (I quarter cherry tomatoes.)
- Combine all ingredients in an air-tight container.
- Gently stir.
- Marinate at least an hour, preferably more.
- Dollop generously on bread or mix in with hot pasta.
Mathews, Charity Curley. “Balsamic Bruschetta Kids Love.” Foodlets, 13 July 2021, https://foodlets.com/2021/07/13/balsamic-bruschetta-kids/.
Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds frozen fully cooked meatballs or 48 small homemade meatballs
- 1 ½ cups ketchup
- ¾ cup grape jelly
Instructions
- Cook meatballs according to recipe directions if using raw meatballs.
- Place meatballs, ketchup, and grape jelly in a small slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook on low 3-4 hours or until heated through.
Notes
In a hurry? Cook the meatballs according to the package/recipe directions. Heat the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer for 1 minute. Add cooked meatballs and simmer uncovered 5 minutes more.
Variations
- Replace the grape jelly with apricot preserves, orange marmalade, canned cranberry sauce, raspberry preserves, or hot pepper jelly.
- Replace the Ketchup with Heinz chili sauce or barbecue sauce. If swapping the ketchup for chili sauce, it is not a spicy sauce. Look for the Heinz brand in a glass bottle near the ketchup
Nilsson, Holly. “Grape Jelly Meatballs.” Spend With Pennies, 10 Dec. 2022, https://www.spendwithpennies.com/grape-jelly-meatballs/.